Confirmed: Hamas Leader Among Flotilla 'Activists'

A confirmed Hamas terrorist leader was among the flotilla “activists” on the Mavi Marmara, holding a Dutch passport.

By Hana Levi Julian

First Publish: 6/3/2010, 11:40 AM / Last Update: 6/3/2010, 11:51 AM

courtesy of GMB Daily Report

A confirmed terrorist leader was among the Gaza flotilla extremists aboard the Mavi Marmara on Monday, holding a Dutch passport.

Amin Abu Rashed, 43, was among the militants arrested on the Turkish vessel following the vicious attack on Israeli Naval commandos who boarded the ship. The Palestinian Authority Arab holds a Dutch passport and operates out of Rotterdam as the leader of the Hamas terrorist network in the Netherlands. He has presented himself to Dutch media and others as a “human rights activist.”

According to a report posted Tuesday on the Global Muslim Brotherhood Daily Report, Abu Rashed – also known as Amin Abu Ibrahim – was “one of the chief organizers of the Gaza flotilla.”

The six-ship flotilla, sponsored largely by Turkey, refused to change course despite repeated Israeli requests to head for Ashdod port rather than violate an embargo on the Hamas terrorist-run Gaza region. In Ashdod, Israel promised to off-load the ships' cargo, inspect it for contraband and then deliver all legal humanitarian aid to Gaza via the land crossings – but the ships refused to comply, vowing instead to “reach Gaza or martyrdom.”

The Muslim report added that Rashed and 29-year-old Dutch anthropologist Anne de Jong were offered a fast-track deportation procedure, “but refused because they [said they] want to complete their mission.” Both refused to sign the State of Israel declaration of expulsion that would have allowed them to go free.

Abu Rashed's name has previously come up in a document presented as evidence in the United States government's prosecution of the Texas-based Holy Land Foundation charity organization – a group that was funneling money to Hamas.

Global jihadists were deeply involved in the flotilla incident in other ways. Approximately 40 of those arrested on the Mavi Marmara had no identification, and many were found to be carrying thousands of dollars in cash in their pockets – the same amount for each. Israeli officials said they appeared to be mercenaries, possibly linked to Al-Qaeda, who had received their remuneration just before boarding the vessel.

IDF video evidence shows the group splitting up into teams and sending the rest of the passengers below decks, while making preparations for the ambush of the Israeli Naval commandos.

According to the GMB Daily Report, “Previous posts have described the heavy participation of the Global Muslim Brotherhood in the Gaza flotilla, the Muslim Brotherhood background of the Al Jazeera journalist reporting from the Turkish ship involved in the confrontation, and the intent of the Global Muslim Brotherhood to send another flotilla to Gaza.”